Wet meadows

A wet meadow is a type of wetland with soils that are saturated for part or all of the growing season. The 6 wet meadows in the Carp River floodplain are designed to increase water storage capacity of the wetland as a result of major storms. The ground in wet meadows fluctuates between brief periods of inundation and longer periods of saturation. The Carp wet meadows have been seeded with a wide variety of wetland plant species (see below), Sedges dominate the core of the meadows and no trees should exist unless there are long periods of time with no flooding.

The wet meadows were not designed to support aquatic life such as fish. The diversity of plant species may attract large numbers of birds, small mammals and insects including butterflies. Properly managed wet meadows should have an aesthetically display of plants.

Seeding the wet meadows reflects the 5 main parts of its design and functionality referred to as::

Riparian;

Floodplain;

Wetland Meadow – Fringe;

Wetland Meadow – Transition; and,

Wetland Meadow – Core.

Habitat success depends greatly on proper plant maintenance over the first few years:

First Year - Observation of the growth of desired species and weed competition is essential to making maintenance decisions. When the undesirable vegetation reaches 200-300cm (80-120”) tall, mow to no less than 100cm (40”), with a mower or weed eater, to prevent weeds from going to seed. Most native plants will grow a deeper root system than top in the first year, and mowing 100cm (40”) high will not hurt them, this allows sunlight to reach desired species. DO NOT MOW WITH A LAWN MOWER Mowing too closely encourages weedy species.

Second Year Mow once, close to the ground, in early spring. This allows the soil to warm more quickly and young native plants to emerge. CRRP tender specs 06

SEED MIXTURES

SEED MIXTURE - TYPE 3B - WET MEADOW

FOX SEDGE CAREX VULPINOIDEA 25%

A clumping grass that will naturalize where planted.. It is an excellent colonizer of wetland mitigation sites, spreads rapidly and may be weedy or invasive displacing desirable vegetation if not properly managed

VIRGINIA WILD RYE ELYMUS VIRIGINICUS 25%

A forage for large game animals such as deer. Birds and small mammals also forage for the seed and utilize the plant fibers for denning and nesting material. Used by mallard and lesser scaup ducks when found in association with wetlands, and Canada geese will graze young foliage. Virginia wildrye may be mixed with warm season grasses for restoration and conservation plantings, and provides an important cool season component to seed mixtures.

URID (SHALLOW) SEDGE CAREX LURIDA 12%L

A large tufted wetland sedge, 2.5’ tall with an equal spread. Is pest resistant and unpalatable to deer and other herbivores.: Works well with Swamp Milkweed, Lobelia cardinalis, Iris versicolor, Iris virginica andJuncus effusus. Can grow in shallow water..

HOP SEDGE CAREX LUPILINA 4%

BLUE VERVAIN VERBENA HASTATA 4%

ZIG ZAG ASTER ASTER PRENANTHOIDES 3%

COSMOS (BRISTLY) SEDGE CAREX COMOSA 3%

COMMON SNEEZEWEED HELENIUM AUTUMNNALE 3%

SOFT RUSH JUNCUS EFFUSES 3%

GREEN BULRUSH SCIRPUS ATROVIRENS 3%

FLAT-TOPPED WHITE ASTER ASTER UMBELLATUS 2%

SEEDBOX LUDIWIGIA ALTERNIFOLIA 2%

MANY LEAVED BULRUSH SCIRPUS POLYPHYLLUS 2%

GOLDEN ALEXANDERS ZIZIA AUREA 2%

PURPLE STEMMED ASTER ASTER PUNICEUS 1%

SWAMP MILKWEED ASCLEPIAS INCARNATA 1%

BONESET EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM 1%

GRASS LEAVED GOLDENROD EUTHAMIA GRAMINIFOLIA 1%

GREAT BLUE LOBELIA LOBELIA SIPHILITICA 1%

WOOLGRASS SCIRPUS CYPERINUS 1%

GIANT IRONWEED VERONIA GIGANTEAN 1%

SEED MIXTURE - FOR WET MEADOWS

FOX SEDGE CAREX VULPINOIDEA 22%

GIANT BUR REED SPARGANIUM EURYCARPUM 15%

LURID (SHALLOW) SEDGE CAREX LURIDA 10%

BLUNT BROOM SEDGE CAREX SCOPARIA 10%

About 1½–3' long with its culms erect or ascending. The leaf blades are up to 7 mm. across and 16" long; they are ascending to arching and rather floppy. Each fertile culm terminates in an inflorescence up to 2½" long that consists of 5-12 spikelets.

EASTERN BUR REED SPARGANIUM AMERICANUM 5%

SOFT RUSH JUNCUS EFFUSES 4%

SQUARE STEMMED MONKEY FLOWER MIMULUS RINGENS 3%

NODDING BUR MARIGOLD BIDENS CERNUA 3%

HOP SEDGE CAREX LUPILINA 3%

COSMOS (BRISTLY) SEDGE CAREX COMOSA 3%

BLUE VERVAIN VERBENA HASTATA 3%

WOOLGRASS SCIRPUS CYPERINUS 2%

RATTLESNAKE GRASS GLYCERIA CANADENSIS 2%

PURPLE STEMMED ASTER ASTER PUNICEUS 2%

JOE PYE WEED EUPATORIUM FISTULOSUM 2%

FRINGED (NODDING) SEDGE CAREX CRINITA 2%

COMMON SNEEZEWEED HELENIUM AUTUMNNALE 2%

BONESET EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM 2%

AWL SEDGE CAREX STIPATA 2%

SWAMP MILKWEED ASCLEPIAS INCARNATA 1%

ROUGH LEAVED GOLDENROD SOLIDAGO PATULA 1%

DITCH STONECROP PENTHORUM SEDOIDES 1%

SEED MIXTURE - TYPE 1 - RIPARIAN (CHANNEL)

CONSTITUENT PERCENTAG E COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME (BY WEIGHT)

VIRGINIA WILD RYE ELYMUS VIRIGINICUS 40%

BOTTLEBRUSH GRASS ELYMUS HYSTRIS 28%

BIG BLUESTEM ANDROPOGON GERARDII 10%

INDIANGRASS SORGHASTRUM NUTANS 10%

SWITCHGRASS PANICUM VIRGATUM 5%

AUTUMN BENTGRASS AGROSTIS PERENNANS 2%

BONSET EUPATORIUM PERTOLIATUM 2%

SPOTTED JOE PYE WEED EUPATORIUM MACULATUM 2%

GRASS LEAVED GOLDENROD SOLIDAGO GRAMINIFOLIA 1%

SEED MIXTURE - TYPE 2 - FLOOD PLAIN

CONSTITUENT PERCENTAGE COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME (BY WEIGHT)

FOX SEDGE CAREX VULPINOIDEA 24%

VIRGINIA WILD RYE ELYMUS VIRIGINICUS 20%

BIG BLUESTEM 'NIAGARA' ANDROPOGON GERARDII 10%

INDIANGRASS SORGHASTRUM NUTANS 10%

BLUNT BROOM SEDGE CAREX SCOPARIA 5%

SWITCHGRASS 'SHELTER' PANICUM VIRGATUM 5%

BLUE VERVAIN VERBENA HASTATA 5%

FRINGED (NODDING) SEDGE CAREX CRINITA 4%

COMMON SNEEZEWEED HELENIUM AUTUMNALE 4%

GRASS LEAVED GOLDENROD EUTHAMIA GRAMINIFOLIA 3%

AWL SEDGE CAREX STIPATA 2%

SHOWY TICK TREFOIL DESMODIUM CANADENSE 2%

JOE PYE WEED EUPATORIUM FISTULOSUM 2%

BONESET EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM 2%

OX EYE SUNFLOWER HELIOPSIS HELIANTHOIDES 2%

SWAMP MILKWEED ASCLEPIAS INCARNATA 1%

PURPLE STEMMED ASTER ASTER PUNICEUS 1%

SEEDBOX LUDWIGIA ALTERNIFOLIA 1%

WILD BERGAMOT MONARDA FISTULOSA 1%

SEED MIXTURE - TYPE 3A - WETLAND

CONSTITUENT PERCENTAGE COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME (BY WEIGHT)

FOX SEDGE CAREX VULPINOIDEA 22%

GIANT BUR REED SPARGANIUM EURYCARPUM 15%

LURID (SHALLOW) SEDGE CAREX LURIDA 10%

BLUNT BROOM SEDGE CAREX SCOPARIA 10%

EASTERN BUR REED SPARGANIUM AMERICANUM 5%

SOFT RUSH JUNCUS EFFUSES 4%

SQUARE STEMMED MONKEY FLOWER MIMULUS RINGENS 3%

NODDING BUR MARIGOLD BIDENS CERNUA 3%

HOP SEDGE CAREX LUPILINA 3%

COSMOS (BRISTLY) SEDGE CAREX COMOSA 3%

BLUE VERVAIN VERBENA HASTATA 3%

WOOLGRASS SCIRPUS CYPERINUS 2%

RATTLESNAKE GRASS GLYCERIA CANADENSIS 2%

PURPLE STEMMED ASTER ASTER PUNICEUS 2%

JOE PYE WEED EUPATORIUM FISTULOSUM 2%

FRINGED (NODDING) SEDGE CAREX CRINITA 2%

COMMON SNEEZEWEED HELENIUM AUTUMNNALE 2%

BONESET EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM 2%

AWL SEDGE CAREX STIPATA 2%

SWAMP MILKWEED ASCLEPIAS INCARNATA 1%

ROUGH LEAVED GOLDENROD SOLIDAGO PATULA 1%

DITCH STONECROP PENTHORUM SEDOIDES 1%

SEED MIXTURE - TYPE 4 - MEADOW TRANSITION

CONSTITUENT PERCENTAGE COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME (BY WEIGHT)

NUTTALL'S ALKALI GRASS PUCCINELLIA NUTTALLIANA 65%

OPEN FIELD SEDGE CAREX CONOIDEA 20%

VIRGINIA WILD RYE ELYMUS VIRIGINICUS 15%

SEED MIXTURE - TYPE 5 - MEADOW FRINGE

CONSTITUENT PERCENTAGE COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME (BY WEIGHT)

VIRGINIA WILD RYE ELYMUS VIRIGINICUS 75%

AUTUMN BENTGRASS AGROSTIS PERENNANS 25%